IT IS ONE OF THE MOST NOTORIOUS PLACES IN OUR AREA FOR TRAFFIC TIE-UPS. AND NOW ONE STRETCH OF U.S. 17 IN ORANGE PARK COULD GET EVEN MORE CONGESTED BECAUSE OF CONSTRUCTION. CREWS ARE NOW AT WORK ADDING NEW LANES BETWEEN 295 AND WELLS ROAD, ALL TO MAKE TRAFFIC FLOW MORE SMOOTHLY. ASHLEY MITCHUM TELLS US WHAT DRIVERS CAN EXPECT DURING CONSTRUCTION. CLAY COUNTY HAS CONTINUED TO GROW FOR THE PAST DECADE, BUT 60% OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE STILL TRAVEL TO OTHER COUNTIES TO GO TO WORK. COMMUTERS SAY BECAUSE OF THAT, TRAFFIC ALONG BLANDING BOULEVARD AND U.S. 17 HAS BECOME MORE AND MORE OF A HEADACHE. TRAFFIC IS BANANAS, AKA CRAZY. WE DON'T LIKE IT. IT'S ALWAYS A HASSLE. SINCE OCTOBER OF 2010, THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION HAS BEEN WORKING ON THE $64.5 MILLION PROJECT TO HELP ALLEVIATE CONGESTION. BUT IT'S FORCED MORE DRIVERS TO USE U.S. 17 INSTEAD. NOW IT, TOO, WILL BECOME A WORK ZONE AS THE DEPARTMENT EMBARKS ON A $4.9 MILLION PROJECT TO ADD TWO MORE LANES SOUTH OF WELLS ROAD TO I-295. THERE WILL BE SOME LANE CLOSURES OVERNIGHT DURING THE WEEK. NORTHBOUND LANES OF U.S. 17 CAN BE CLOSED BETWEEN 7 P.M. AND 5:30 A.M., SOUTHBOUND LANES CLOSED BETWEEN 8 P.M. AND 7 A.M. THE PROJECT LEAVES DRIVERS WITH MIXED FEELINGS. IT WILL EXPAND THE AREA AND ALSO HAVE THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC BETTER. BUT WE DON'T NEED IT RIGHT NOW. IT'S JUST TOO MUCH. IT'S LIKE TOO MUCH. EVERYBODY COMING IN OFF WELLS AND 17 TRYING TO GET ON 295 AND THE BUCKMAN EVERY MORNING, IT'S BACKED UP PAST KINGSLEY AND STUFF. CONSTRUCTION IS GOING TO MAKE IT WORSE. BUT ONCE THEY'RE DONE, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE PRETTY GOOD. THE PROJECT IS ON SCHEDULE AND SAID TO BE DONE BY EARLY 2014. THE PROJECT ALONG 17 IS SUPPOSED

ORANGE PARK, Fla. -

The Florida Department of Transportation on Monday started a project to add two northbound auxiliary lanes on U.S. 17 in Orange Park from south of Wells Road to Interstate 295.

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There are only 8,400 residents in the town of Orange Park, but more than 70,000 vehicles pass through every day. Nearly 60 percent of Clay County residents work in other counties -- mostly in Jacksonville.

Adding the two lanes is intended to improve traffic flow through the U.S. 17 corridor. One of the new lanes will take traffic to I-295 southbound to the Buckman Bridge, and the other will take motorists to I-295 northbound to Blanding Boulevard.

Commuters say as a result, congestion along Blanding Boulevard and U.S. 17 has become more and more of a headache.

"Traffic is bananas, aka crazy," said Lawrence Chambers, who works at Subway off U.S. 17. "We don't like it. It's a hassle."

The work will also include extending turn lanes from U.S. 17 south to Wells Road east and Old Orange Park Road, and from Wells Road east and Old Orange Park Road to U.S. 17 north.

The project also includes drainage improvements and relocating utilities in the area.

Since October 2010, FDOT has been working on a $64.5 million project along I-295 and Blanding to help alleviate congestion, but the project has forced more traffic to divert to U.S. 17. That project is expected to wrap up early next year.

As for the new project, residents have mixed feelings.

"Yes, it will expand the area and will also help the flow of traffic better, but we don't need it right now. It's just too much, way too much," Chambers said.

"Everybody coming in off Wells and 17 trying to get onto 295 and the Buckman, every morning it's backed up all the way to Kingsley and stuff," said John Soultanian, who works at the Poker Room off U.S. 17. "Construction will make it worse, but it's going to be pretty good."

The $4.9 million construction project should be done in the fall of 2014. The project contract specifies 365 days to complete the work and allows extra time for weather delays, holidays and unforeseen construction field conditions.

Lane closings are allowed Monday through Friday on U.S. 17 northbound between 7 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. and U.S. 17 southbound between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m.

J.B. Coxwell Contracting Inc. of Jacksonville is the contractor on the job.

For additional information about this project or other FDOT projects around northeast Florida, visit www.nflroads.com. Information on FDOT roadwork can also be found on Twitter @MyFDOT_NEFL.

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